Tuesday, Republican House member Dennis Reboletti called for voters to have a say in whether the 2011 state income tax increase should remain permanent or sunset at the end of 2014. S

Several Republican General Assembly members stood with Reboletti to support his effort, saying the Democrats have purposely cut Republicans out of budget talks - leaving their constituents with no voice in how taxpayer funds will be spent in 2015.

“We all here have been cut out of the [budget] process,” Reboletti said. “We’re going to ask the people to be citizen soldiers and join us in the fight. And if they think their voice isn’t being heard by the majority, they will have the opportunity to step up and cast a vote. […]

Rep. Ron Sandack pointed out that there are already several referenda on the November ballot, and one more asking the people their opinion on the tax hike is reasonable. A simple majority vote in both chambers before the legislature adjourns next week would put the question before voters.

And just to be clear, there are no limits on the number of non-binding advisory referenda that the General Assembly can put on the ballot.

* The Question: Should there be a statewide referendum on extending the income tax hike? Take the poll and then explain your answer in comments, please.

I voted no. Let’s not be kids. Let’s grow up and face our fiscal difficulties. Let’s stop playing games with our finances. We have bills to pay and services to provide. I read this morning that the budget shortfall for the next fiscal year, starting in July, could be $4 billion.

I think the best avenue may be some type of compromise, such as extending the hike for a short time or phasing it out over time. If politicians won’t vote for it, so be it. They will have to deal with whatever consequences or lack thereof that follow.

It’s fine if the wording is balanced and asks voters whether they favor extending the tax to fully fund basic state services, or if they favor ending the tax and imposing draconian cuts to basic state services. I bet Reboletti won’t go for that formulation.

The answer is “no” for one very obvious reason: we need an answer now, before the new fiscal year starts. We have to know whether or not that tax will be there before a responsible budget can be crafted.

Shame on the Democrats for passing a budget that assumes revenues that haven’t been enacted. But shame in equal amounts on the Republicans who are shirking their responsibility to address this issue before the next fiscal year starts, either by voting on the tax extension or telling us what they’d cut without it.

I voted no and here’s why. When the voters (or Republicans for that matter) offer some solutions to the problems of the state budget that don’t involve additional revenue, then you can have an opinion on it. Until then all we have is Illinois citizens wanting (slightly) more money in their paychecks, without understanding the economic hit the state will take if programs are not funded. Then, lots of our citizens will be out a lot more money.

We know people don’t like tax increases. We don’t need a vote to confirm what is already abundantly clear. A non-binding referendum does nothing to further the argument one way or the other. This is a kabuki play designed to distract from the hard realities of the current economy. Reboletti and the GOP just want to keep screaming NO until election day. That is not a solution it’s a talking point.

Norseman, it won’t cost a dime to put a non-binding referendum on the ballot. The counties will be printing ballots and holding an election in November already.

This is no dodge for the legislature and governor not undertaking their legal duties. They still are the only ones with the legal power to enact a budget or set tax rates.

That being said, Speaker Madigan will put every piece of progressive claptrap on the ballot to shamelessly pander for votes in a year when the Dem’s horrible record could actually finally hurt them…And this is somehow improper?

I voted No. Give the people of this state a chance to vote for lower taxes and they’ll vote Yes. Give the a chance to vote for more services and they’ll vote Yes. Give them a chance to vote for more borrowing and they’ll vote No. It doesn’t add up.

It’s not clear that the legislature will be grown-up and willing to face the consequences of their actions (e.g. on pensions), but I think the odds are slightly better than if the voters as a whole are given the choice.

I am going to vote “No” because Dennis Riboletti can introduce this next January as a newly minted state Senator, and, when he is in the Senate, he can…

Oh.

Never mind.

Still voting “No”, I guess I need another good reason, so I will say at some point, being a member of a General Assembly is hard. Tough votes make it hard. Being in the GA is not suppose to be all sunshine and lollipops.

Say someone makes $75,000 / year. 2% of $75,000 is $1,500. If that individual gets paid every 2 weeks (26 paychecks) it’s $57.69 per paycheck. It’s more, no doubt. But, what are the economic ramifications if the the increase goes away? Will some people loose their jobs? See here’s the problem, people who want the tax to sunset don’t understand that government is an economic driver. The agencies that the state funds, they hire staff, buy products, engage in commerce. If that commerce is impeded, there will be a major impact. The state engages in commerce as well. What happens when that is starts to be less? Is that worth $28.85 per week? You have to answer that question for yourself. But I say no.

I don’t like referendums in general. We elect people to make decisions. They should do so. If they won’t then why don’t we just do referenda on everything that needs to be decided and get rid of the politicians?

So why not a non-binding referendum regarding a graduated income tax? Maybe the Dems could draft a bill that includes both, and see if the GOP would vote for such a bill.

Larry the Cable Guy @ 1:20pm said, “Only after the GOP members get a chance to vote on the Non-Recommended budget. Give ‘em a chance to whoop and holler about the cuts. Now that there would be funny.” That’s an interesting idea - would the GOP actually vote for a bill that cuts education spending? It would also put some fence-sitting Dems on notice that this is what must happen if the tax rate extension does not pass.

See, this is the problem. I want to separate the politics from the policy. Politics is how we got tow where we are today. The state robbed the pension system so they didn’t have to incur the wrath of the voters when Illinois had a revenue problem. And, everyone complains about property tax rates here in Illinois. Much of that problem has to do with the fact that the state does not collect enough revenue to pay a “fair share” of education expenses. So you can make this issue simple if you want and tell jokes, but it’s a real issue that requires real solutions. You can’t just laugh it away today and then complain tomorrow when the problem gets worse. See, silly me, I prefer to deal with it.

Try-4-Truth. As much as you want to Blame the GOP for the problems, guess what not one GOP vote was needed to pass the “temporary” tax hike and not one GOP vote is needed to pass this extension of the tax. The DEMs cant heard all the cats to get the votes.

I’m the opposite of some of the commenters here in that I *like* referendums - the real kind where you need an effort to get them on the ballot (though not as high as we currently have) and they, you know, count.

Our form of government is a representative republic, not a pure democracy. Specifically, we elect folks to represent our views in Springfield. Do. Your. Job. Either that or give me your salary for doing it for you.

Illinois has a history of finding money to fix problems, then the voters look the other way; once they do, the politicians apply the lion’s share of the ‘new’ money elsewhere.

This is the way of Illinois politics and is a major reason we are at the bottom of the heap when it comes to fiscal responsibility…. and trust.

If we let the temporary tax expire, it will hurt the children; if we let the temporary tax expire, it will hurt the poor,; if we let the temporary tax expire, it will hurt the old. Fact is, if we let the temporary tax expire it will challenge the politicians to do their jobs and cut pork barrel, special interests, and wasteful spending. It will cause them, in particular Quinn and Madigan, to think of something other than their own personal power.

Good government is not good politics if the conventional wisdom is cut services and cut revenue. You accuse me of being “self righteous”. That’s an interesting attack when all I was doing was putting the actual numbers together. I never disputed that it was a week’s pay. Never. All I did was quantify that. Math is math and I showed my work.

Now, if you want to live in a world where the snappiest sound bite wins the day, then sure, we need to just govern to the lowest common denominator. But, what if we used evidenced based arguments instead? What if actually tried to solve problems. Again, your way got us into this mess. Math is math, and I’m comfortable with my numbers. Are you comfortable with yours?

== Give the people of this state a chance to vote for lower taxes and they’ll vote Yes. Give the a chance to vote for more services and they’ll vote Yes. ==

So the voters wont do any worse than their Representatives are doing right now. Might as well get an accurate gauge of what “the people think” instead of both sides parroting that their doing the will of the people.

Can’t wait for the upcoming November 2014 election…lines will be around the block as people want to figure out and read all these completely unnecessary “referen-dumbs” - at the polling place - of course.

Just put the signs out front - “Extra long voting lines brought to you by House Speaker Michael J. Madigan and your Illinois General Assembly.”

If I could add one vote for every GOP house and senate member who privately said they did not know how we would’ve survived during the past year without the tax increase, there would be votes to spare in each Chamber. At a minimum, Poe, Brauer, Mitchell and Scherer ought to stand up for their AFSCME members.

I said “righteous indignation” - Righteous indignation is typically a reactive emotion of anger over perceived mistreatment, insult, or malice. That is a bit different than “self righteous”

Seeing a week’s pay as impeding the ideal of doing “right”, the math takes the ideal to that denominator; a week’s pay.

Speaker Tip O’Neill, one of America’s finest dealmakers of public policy while understanding the politics driving the issue made the phrase, “…. And good politics is good policy”. Because it doesn’t jive with your ideal, doesn’t make it less true than when the Speaker would say it.

The barn is still the same, getting around it still ends the same too .

Either way, your attempt at humor has not addressed the point. I can quote a whole bunch of people, even Tip O’Neil if you want. It doesn’t move the ball down the field one yard. You believe what you want to believe, but economics and data-driven public policy is not as intuitive as you think. Raising the minimum wage increases jobs not the opposite, food stamps (SNAP) return more to the economy than the program costs, tax cuts are the worse form of economic stimulus, etc. These are all concepts where people could vote on and be on the wrong side. The whole politics vs policy debate has been debased so much that many think that if it “feels” right, it must be. So no, I’m not mad. I’ll keep typing facts, you keep being witty. I’m sure you’ll win, because witty beats facts in today’s world.

T4T Pork dole-outs have occurred over several administrations. Bridges, roads, many favors over time has led to us being broke. Of course, in your infinite wisdom that doesn’t amount to billions. Gee, wonder where that money went.Must have all been good causes that have all paid back handsomely?

This will be the last of it because this exercise is pointless. Just because I disagree with you, doesn’t make me wrong. I have a point, you have a point. Again, I never disagreed with that being a week’s pay. So that’s it, no more. My soap box is about looking at public problems through the lens of data and doing what works. If that is “self-righteous” then paint me with that brush. But, making fun of me doesn’t diminish what I said.

It is pitiful that citizens have to browbeat their elected officials on this.

You want more taxes, then do it honorably.
Let this SOB expire as promised, then talk to us like we are adults with the money you want to take. The way this is being done is only exposing Illinois government officials as people willing to do anything, even when it is the wrong thing.

After Ryan, after Blagojevich - we don’t need this too. Polls show that our state leaders have little credibility. You build it by honoring your commitments.

Start doing the job necessary to restore Illinoisans faith in their government, by honoring the commitment made in 2011.

===My soap box is about looking at public problems through the lens of data and doing what works. If that is “self-righteous” then paint me with that brush.===

You are a “True Believer” and I know we can use more of you, but to think ignoring or dismissing the political as not going hand in hand to achieve what you would like to see ignores the realities, both good and bad realities.

You are correct, I am dismissing the politics of the situation. I used to draw a salary because of politics. Now, I’m on the other side. Illinois has always been a low tax state. And it has cost us. We can see the results of that today. High property taxes, high local fees (especially business fees), low performing schools, out of control pension debt. These are all issues that could have been addressed decades ago, if Illinois “leaders” had the political will to do what was necessary. Now, we’re stuck with a choice: Either give a little on the tax issue, or dismantle the whole thing. I do believe it’s that stark. So you’re right. I’m tired of doing what’s right “politically”. Vanilla man’s comments above are right on target. Stand up, do what you think is necessary, either way.

==At a minimum, Poe, Brauer, Mitchell and Scherer ought to stand up for their AFSCME members.==

Their job isn’t to represent AFSCME, their job is to represent their district, of which AFSCME members are only small part of. Believe it or not, there are occasions when many feel the best interests of their district and State do not mesh with the opinion of a union lobbyist group.

Here’s the single best reason to add it. Madigan is packing the ballot with referendums to get traditional Dems out. Toss one referendum to the loyal opposition so they can blow their bugles and get their folks out. That’s why the GOP will be for it (except that great patriot OW) and the Dems will be against it.

ydd Thanks for asking for a recap of the last twenty years of overspending, for using money earmarked for one department and spent in another, for spending money we didn’t have, and of course your request to know where it all went? You’ll just have to scratch your head, or other body part, and say “dang, it must be here somewhere.”

This referendum is a delaying tactic. The votes, apparently, do not exist to extend the current rates. This is a way to delay the vote while keeping the topic in front of us. Meanwhile, before the vote there will be huge cuts in popular programs. (I’m not cynical; I just know these people.)

I just want to see who VMan, AZ Bob, A Guy and all the other usual victims blame for everything after that, given their antipathy to representative democracy.

I have no doubt they’ll find a new villain that leaves them unaccountable for their own lives.====

Excuse me pal, you want to cite where I’ve “played the victim”? You and your pals can rationalize just about anything. I have no issues with Representative Democracy. I’m also making no excuses for where the GOP finds itself these days. Even the map debacle could have been avoided if we could have defeated a terrible candidate in PQ. We blew it. That doesn’t remove the fact that our map is a terribly flawed process- regardless of who draws it. I have no doubt the GOP would have been just as cynical in cheating the people. That’s what career politicians do. Take away from them what is not in their nature to do right. As for all of these stupid referendums, why would you draw the line at the only one that might increase turnout on the other side? If term limits and fair maps are on there, it’s because of a difficult process requiring the people to be active and involved. The legislative ones are easy to pile on there. That’s only been done to do harm to the voter initiatives. That’s cynical dude. No victim here.